Water jet propulsion of marine vessel hulls as compared to screw propeller systems are more flexible in usage, involve less mechanical equipment for hull installation and provide for improved maneuverability of the ship being propelled. Conventional maneuvering systems for water jet propulsors include water intake motors and pumps for water inflow through hull inlets and accelerated nozzle outflow of the propulsion jets above the hull waterline. Heretofore commercial ships with such water jet propulsors utilized jet deflecting buckets, sleeves and vanes for effective steering and backing purposes, involving above water jet discharge.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,159 issued January 2001 to Shen et al., surface ships propelled by underwater jet discharge are provided with steering and backing types of maneuvering systems, not suitable however for a submerged sea craft. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide for simplified and efficient controlled maneuvering of a submerged sea craft with water jet propulsors, involving steering, backing and stopping operations.